2.38 Million Farmers Listed in Government Database

The government has listed 2.38 million farmers in a national digital database developed to streamline subsidies, distribute agricultural inputs, and provide services through an electronic system. The ongoing registration drive aims to digitally connect all farmers across the country under one integrated platform.

The state-run Agriculture Information and Training Center, which is overseeing the initiative, said the database will help track farmers’ production, landholdings, and income levels, enabling the state to deliver targeted assistance more efficiently.

Sanjiv Pandit, an officer at the center, said the government is classifying farmers into four categories—subsistence, small, medium, and large-scale—based on their income levels and will distribute identification cards accordingly.

Pandit said the electronic system now allows farmers to directly access fertilizers, seeds, subsidies, and service management. “According to the 2021 census, about 4.1 million farmers were identified nationwide, and the government plans to include all of them in the database. The total number may slightly vary by the time the registration gets completed,” he added.

Local governments have been collecting data nationwide, including information on farmland size, types of crops produced, and other details to build a comprehensive agricultural record.

The Ministry of Agriculture initiated the registration program in March 2021 following a ministerial-level decision. Pandit urged farmers to register promptly, warning that those outside the system will not qualify for government subsidies or services. – With inputs from RSS